What is Psoriasis?

Typically psoriasis sufferers usually develop well defined red raised patches covered by silvery scales which form first on the scalp, behind the ears, on the back of the neck, between the shoulders, on elbows and knees or near fingernails and toenails.

Other areas of the body can also be affected including the back, the penis, the nails and even eyebrows. Individual psoriatic patches can spread and join together to affect quite a large area of the body. However, there are always psoriasis-free places where the skin looks normal, which is an important characteristic in diagnosing this condition.

The most common form of psoriasis is psoriasis vulgaris. Other forms include localized pustular psoriasis and exfoliative psoriatic dermatitis. Localized pustular psoriasis usually only appears on the soles of the feet and the palms of the hand; and instead of red, scaly patches there ’s usually a mass of tiny yellow blisters. With exfoliative psoriatic dermatitis the entire skin is red and covered in fine scales.

How is Psoriasis usually treated?

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What is Colic?

Babies between the ages of 0 – 6 months often develop colic. This could be due to wind or other digestive problems or even the incorrect formula.

Signs of colic include persistent fretfulness and crying (especially after feeds), and baby may become red in the face and pull up his legs to relieve the pain in his stomach.

Colic may become worse when baby is lying down and symptoms can improve if he is walked around. It may also help to lie him over your lap on his tummy and rub his back. Be sure to wind baby properly after feeds.

How can iBaba help?

iBaba (which means “Baby”) is a specially formulated homeopathic remedy which is gentle and effective and safe for use by even newborn infants.

It will soothe your baby’s stomach, help to relieve wind and reduce fretfulness, helping your baby (and you!) to have a good night’s sleep.

Use iBaba safely and easily to:

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Most people rely upon traditional Western medicine if they become ill. They make an appointment with a doctor and follow the treatment given to achieve a desired result. However, some people choose to forgo traditional medicine and seek out a naturopathic practitioner instead. How can a naturopath help and will you be able to achieve the same result, which is to feel better?

Naturopathic practitioners differ from modern medical doctors in that they are interested in more than treating the symptoms a person has. In fact, the naturopath will work toward healing the whole person. This is done by emphasizing preventative measures each individual can do, encouraging the body’s own ability to heal itself, and addressing each person’s responsibility for their own health. This may be done by using nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicine, or changing one’s lifestyle.

Naturopaths are concerned with finding the underlying reason behind the symptoms their patients have. They treat everyone in a family from the youngest baby to the oldest senior and everyone in between. They provide hands-on support in helping their clients learn to live a healthy life while dealing with the craziness of today’s busy schedules.

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Sinus congestion and infections are common throughout the year and nearly everyone will have them at one point or another. Some people experience them so often the condition is considered chronic. Most people choose to treat chronic sinus infections with traditional methods, but some choose holistic treatments. What is the difference and is one better than the other?

If you’ve ever had a sinus infection, you know the symptoms: headache, facial pain and heaviness, low grade fever, fatigue, or stuffy ears. You may feel like your head weighs a ton and you’re miserable. You also want to find relief so you can get back to your life and feel better.

Doctors will often prescribe an antihistamine or decongestant if you see them for a sinus infection. These medications will help keep your sinus passages open; they also allow the congestion to drain.

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By Tess Thompson

Although it is commonly believed to be a condition that primarily affects children, it is estimated that 12 to 15 million American adults also suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But because child ADHD treatment and symptoms can differ slightly from adult ADHD and treatment, and because research into adult ADHD is still in its early stages, many adults do not know how to evaluate whether they are suffering from the disorder.

There is no single test that will identify ADHD, and there are no specific genetic or biological indicators that will lead to a diagnosis. Instead, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will conduct a comprehensive evaluation which will include extensive examination of past behavior, and should also include a physical exam to rule out any other possible source of the symptoms.

ADHD symptoms differ from person to person, but according to the American Psychiatric Association ’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is often used in ADHD research studies, they can include:

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Millions of people each year suffer from acne. Acne is the most popular skin disorder in America and it affects teenagers as well as adults. Here are some tips for a clearer face.

Before buying any over the counter treatments for acne, it is important to talk to a pharmacist or dermatologist to diagnose your specific acne problems. Many times it is easier to treat a problem if you know what the root causes are and what ailment is affecting you. If you want a clearer face it is important to be educated about your ailment.

There are tons of acne products on the market. Because each person’s face is different it is important to try out several different products in order to find the product that treats your acne best. Many over the counter and prescription treatments can irritate your skin and do more harm than good. By experimenting, you can have a clearer face than with sticking with a less than satisfactory product.

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Psoriasis defined as a chronic skin disorder that commonly affects 1% to 3% of the world’s population. Psoriasis is characterized by periodic flare-ups of red patched covered by a silvery and flakey scale typically on the scalp.

There are several variations of psoriasis, but the most common plaque psoriasis, but the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown. It is believed that a combination of several factors contribute to the development of psoriasis.

In an immune system that functions normally, white blood cells produce antibodies to bacteria and viruses. These white blood cells also produce chemicals which help to aid in healing and fighting infective agents. Psoriasis causes special white blood cells, called T-cells, to become overactive.

T-cells attack the skin which sets off a series of events which make the skin cells multiply quickly enough so they start to stack up on the surface of the skin. Normal skin cells are typically sloughed off every thirty days, but in plaque psoriasis the skin goes through the entire process in three to six days.

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With the incidence of attention deficit disorder increasing many people resort to various drugs the ADD treatment. The irony of the situation is that there is no fool-proof method of diagnosing ADD, and many a times there are normal children who have been diagnosed and stamped as ADD and being given child ADHD treatment while they may be normal children with maybe a slightly higher need for attention or slightly hyperactive.

With such children and those that genuinely suffer from an attention deficit disorder, most physicians use drugs like Ritalin and Prozac or Zoloft. These medicines only serve to reduce the symptoms of ADD for a certain period of time and have numerous side effects that are harmful in the short and the long term. The dangerous side effects of Ritalin that have been observed include possible seizures, suppression of growth, angina, blood pressure fluctuations, insomnia, loss of appetite, headaches and much more.

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What is Premenstrual Syndrome?

PMS is a disorder characterized by a set of hormonal changes that trigger disruptive symptoms in a significant number (estimated 40 million suffers) of women for up to two weeks prior to menstruation.

Often symptoms tend to taper off with menstruation and women remain symptom-free until the two weeks or so prior to the next menstrual period. These regularly recurring symptoms from ovulation until menses typify PMS, premenstrual syndrome.

Characteristics of PMS

Over 150 symptoms have been attributed to PMS. After complaints of feeling “out-of-control”, anxious, depressed and having uncontrollable crying spells, the most common complaints are headache and fatigue. But symptoms may vary from month to month and there may even be symptom-free months.

Characteristically symptoms may be both physical and emotional. They may include physical symptoms as headache, migraine, fluid retention, fatigue, constipation, painful joints, backache, abdominal cramping, heart palpitations and weight gain.

Emotional and behavioral changes may include anxiety, depression, irritability, panic attacks, tension,lack of co-ordination, decreased work or social performance and altered libido. (some useful PMS information)

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Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is the pain caused by a compression of the trigeminal nerve, the largest of the twelve nerves in the cranium. The trigeminal nerve is primarily responsible for sensation in the face and one of its three branches is responsible for the movement of the jaw as well.

One of the major causes of trigeminal neuralgia is the erosion of the nerve sheath which is actually a loss of the myelin covering of the nerve. Some other causes may include compression by an adjacent blood vessel, physical damage by dental or other surgeries, genetic predisposition or rarely, a tumor or multiple sclerosis. Abnormalities usually occur at the inner nerve fibers that carry the sensation.

The trigeminal nerve is similar to other sensory nerves like the sciatic nerve in the spinal region and the pain caused by compression can be as excruciating as sciatica. Most of the conventional treatments approach TN in a similar fashion as sciatic nerve treatment.

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